Ventilator for boots, shoes, and like articles.



E. J. DEVLIN. VENTILATOR FOR BOOTS, SHQES, AND LIKE ARTICLES.

Patented Apr 17, 1917.

' APPLICATION FILED MN.24, 1917.

EDWARD J. DEVLIN, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. I

VENTILATOR FOR BOOT- S, SHOES, AND LIKE ARTICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 17, 1917.

Application filed January 24, 1917. Serial No. 144,140.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. DEVLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at 184 Lincoln avenue, Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilators for Boots, Shoes, and like Articles, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in ventilators for boots, shoes, and the like, and one object of the invention is to provide a ventilator which can be formed of one piece of metal, or of a composition that can be molded into the desired form. Another object of the invention is to provide a construction by which a tortuous passage is formed through the body of the ventilator which permits air to pass freely into the shoe, but in great degree obstructs the passage of any spray or splash of water.

This is effected by providing the ventilator with an internal chamber with a drainage outlet, and forming the outer vent-holes and the inner passage out of line with one another. I

Two forms of the invention are shown in the drawing, in the first of which the ventholes can be closed by a screw-plug when desired. In the drawing, Figure 1 shows the inner end of the ventilator; Fig. 2 is a central section of the same; and Fig. 3 the outer end of the ventilator. Figs. 4: and 5 show an end view and side view of the screw-plug; V

Fig. 6 is a section like Fig; 2 with the passage through the ventilator closed to exelude water. Fig. 7 shows an alternative construction; and Fig. 8 a shoe' with the ventilator applied. The views are enlarged above the natural size, excepting Fig. 8.

In Figs. 1 to 5, the ventilator has a circular body or hub a with a flange a upon its inner end and a smaller flange 6 upon its outer end, and the shoe is, in practice,

formed with an aperture Z? to fit the body a so that when the flange b is forced through the aperture, the flanges hold it firmly therein.

The leather 6 and lining b of the shoe are shown embracing the hub a between the two flanges. The inner flange is made larger than the outer flange to arrest the body of the ventilator when the smaller flange has passed through the aperture.

The hub and flanges embrace the leather so as to prevent sagging or any distortion of the leather.

The inner face of the flange ais flared or beveled to make the edges of the flange thin tends from the inner end of the hub nearly through the hub, leaving a plate 03 at the outer end of the bore in which a circle of vent holes 6,0, is disposed around the center of the bore.-

The screw-plug'f is made shorter than the depth of the bore'sothat without projecting from the inner end of the hub it can be adjusted therein at a suitable distance from the plate (Z to permit the entrance of air through the vent-holes e, as shown in Fig. 2.

The plug hasa' central passage 9, and also a notch h in its outer end, which serves as a means whereby the plug may be turned by a screwdriver, or any suitable tool.

In Fig. 2, the plug is shown set a suflicient distance from the plate for air to enter the vent-h0les c and turn toward the center of the bore 0 to enter the passage 9. through which it passes within the shoe; as desired, for ventilation. A doubly reflexed arrow 41 is shown extended through the upper ventpassage of the air.

The air-passage 9 forms an outlet from the central portion of the chamber to the 'hole'into the passage 9 to show the tortuous interior of theshoe, and its relation to the vent-holes forms, with such holes, a tortuous channel which is adapted to'materially obstruct the movement of spray-into the central passage.

In Fig. 6, the plug is shown screwed close to the plate (Z, and as the central passage 9 of the plug does not coincide with the circle of holes 6, the end of the plug operates to wholly close such holes, while the middle portion of the plate operates equally to close the passage 9.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the vent-holes e are disposed farther front the center of the bore than the diameter of the passage 9.

The relation of the holes to the passage thus prevents any spray of water from passing directly from any of the vent-holes into the passage 9, as such spray would strike the end of the plug around such passage and be thrown down into the bottom of the bore 0 from which it would find a free escape by the lowest vent-hole e.

The notch it in the plug permits the wearer of the shoe, by means of a screwdriver, to adjust the plug" in dry weather, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to secure the ventilation desired; and in very wet weather, to close the ventho1es by screwing the plug against the same, as shown in Fig. 6.

The flanges a and b, as well as the plate d, are preferably made integral with the hub so as to form a cheap and simple construction.

From the above description it will be seen that the rotation of the plug for adjusting it in the bore 0 does not change the relation of the central passage 9 to the series of ventholes a, c, as the passage always remains in line with the centralportion of the plate (Z, while the vent-holes are disposed at a sufficient distance from such center to be wholly closed by the plug when screwed against them, as shown in Fig. 6.

Such unchanged relation of the passage 9 to the vent-holes enables the body of'the plug surrounding the passage to intercept any water or sand entering the vent-holes, and arresting the same so that it falls down within the bore 0 and finds a discharge from the lowest vent-hole.

Fig. 7 shows an alternative construction in which no plug is fitted to the chamber or bore in the body, but a plate d closes the inner end of the chamber 0 and has the central passage g formed therein. The outer plate 0?, as in the other construction, has the circle of vent-holes e, 6, none of which are in line with the central passage, but the holes 6 and e extend into the chamber at the upper and lower parts of the same respectively; so that a spray of water entering the vent-holes strikes the plate cl and is thrown downward to the bottom of the chamber, and escapes by the lower venthole 6.

A doubly reflexed arrow j is shown extended through the upper vent-hole into the passage through the inner plate, showing the tortuous passage of air.

The body of the ventilator is shown of circular form, but it is immaterial what shape be given ber within the same provided the passage and vent-holes are arranged in the required relation.

The ventilator is preferably applied to the side of the shoe, as shown in Fig. 8, so that the vent-hole e may extend from the bot-V tom of the chamber and serve to drain from the same any water that enters.

Such a location of the ventilator causes to the body or to the chamthe movements of the foot in walking to produce a suction through the ventilator at each step, which insures an ingress and. egress of air with every step.

Figs. 2 and 6, show that the bevel upon the inner side of the flange a. performs a special function in enabling the ventilator to grasp the leather of different shoes which may vary somewhat in thickness, the thicker leather contacting with the beveled side of the flange farther from the center, and being dished or hollowed thereby, so that the leather fits snugly to both flanges.

In Fig. 2, the aperture is in the leather is shown held from contact with the periphery of the hub, by its tightly crowding against the beveled face of the flange a, which crowding serves to hold the ventilator tightly in place.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention what is claimed herein is:

1. In ashoe ventilator, a hub having an interior chamber with a plate at its outer end and having a passage extending from the central portion of the chamber to the interior of the shoe, and the outer plate having vent-holes extended into the chamber and arranged out of line with the said passage so as to obstruct the movement of any spray-of water through the ventilator.

2. In a shoe ventilator, a hub having an interior chamber with a plate at its outer end and having a passage extending from the central portion of the chamber to the interior of the shoe, and the outer plate having vent-holes extended into the chamber at the upper and lower parts of the same respectively, whereby a tortuous channel for the air is provided and any spray entering the vent-hole is obstructed and water entering-the chamber is drained from the lower part of the same.

3. In a shoe ventilator, the combination, with a hub having flanges upon its inner and outer ends and having a screw-threaded bore or chamber extending nearly through the hub, leaving a plate at one end of the bore with vent-holes in said plate arranged in a circle about the center of the chamber, of a screw-plug fitted to turn in the chamber and having a passage at the center, one end of the plug being adapted to close the vent-holes in the plate and the other end having means whereby the plug may be adjusted by a tool, the said construction providing a. tortuous air-passage through the ventilator, as herein described.

4:. In a shoe ventilator, the combination, with a hub, of a beveled integral flange upon its inner end and a smaller integral flange upon its outer end adapted to crowd through an aperture in the shoe-leather and retain the ventilator therein, the hub having a screw-threaded bore or chamber extending nearly through the hub, leaving an vent-holes in the plate and the other end integral plate at the outer end of the chamhaving a notch for adjusting the plug by her with vent-holes in said plate arranged means of a screwdriver 10 in a circle about the center of the chamber, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 5 and a screw-plug fitted to turn in the chammy hand.

her and having a passage at the center, one

end of the plug being adapted to close the EDWARD J. DEVLIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, .D. G. 

